--- title: "Maximize AVCodex Capabilities — AVCodex Docs" description: "Maximize AVCodex Capabilities — AVCodex documentation for AV integrators, programmers, and ops teams." lang: en json-ld: --- [](/) Solutions [Pricing](/pricing)[The Signal](/blog)[Resources](/resources) Learn [Free AI Assessment](/scorecard)[Get Started →](/pricing) [Documentation Home](/docs) Guides Getting Started - [The Alchemist Copilot](/docs/guides/the-alchemist-copilot) - [Choosing a Model](/docs/guides/choosing-a-model) - [Skills & Templates](/docs/guides/skills-and-templates) - [Pricing & Usage](/docs/guides/pricing-and-usage) - [Understanding Tokens](/docs/guides/understanding-tokens) - [Maximize AVCodex Capabilities](/docs/guides/maximize-avcodex-capabilities) Knowledge & Memory - [How Knowledge Sources Work](/docs/guides/how-knowledge-sources-work) - [Knowledge Retrieval Settings](/docs/guides/knowledge-retrieval-settings) - [User Memory](/docs/guides/user-memory) - [Consumer Brain](/docs/guides/consumer-brain) Agent Capabilities - [Image Recognition](/docs/guides/image-recognition) - [Image Generation](/docs/guides/image-generation) - [Video Generation](/docs/guides/video-generation) - [Deep Research and Deep Thinking](/docs/guides/deep-research-and-deep-thinking) - [Heartbeat (Proactive AI Outreach)](/docs/guides/heartbeat-proactive-ai-outreach) - [Database Connections](/docs/guides/database-connections) - [Agent-to-Agent Links](/docs/guides/agent-to-agent-links) - [Message Tagging](/docs/guides/message-tagging) - [Lead Generation Forms](/docs/guides/lead-generation-forms) - [Multilingual Apps](/docs/guides/multilingual-apps) - [Understanding Evaluations](/docs/guides/understanding-evaluations) Design & Experience - [Style Studio](/docs/guides/style-studio) - [Component Studio](/docs/guides/component-studio) - [HQ Profile](/docs/guides/hq-profile) - [Multiplayer Chat](/docs/guides/multiplayer-chat) - [Circles](/docs/guides/circles) - [Desktop Agent](/docs/guides/desktop-agent) Voice & Phone - [Phone Numbers](/docs/guides/phone-numbers) - [Outbound Calling](/docs/guides/outbound-calling) - [Voice Cloning](/docs/guides/voice-cloning) Publish & Share - [Embed Chat Widget](/docs/guides/embed-chat-widget) - [Custom Domains](/docs/guides/custom-domains) - [PWA Installation](/docs/guides/pwa-installation) - [AVCodex Sites](/docs/guides/avcodex-sites) - [Embed on Kajabi](/docs/guides/embed-on-kajabi) - [How to Use AVCodex with Claude Code](/docs/guides/how-to-use-avcodex-with-claude-code) Monetization & Access - [Selling Access](/docs/guides/selling-access) - [Consumer Monetization](/docs/guides/consumer-monetization) - [Access Control](/docs/guides/access-control) - [Bring Your Own Auth](/docs/guides/bring-your-own-auth) - [Clever SSO for Schools](/docs/guides/clever-sso-for-schools) Analytics & Operations - [Analytics & Chat History](/docs/guides/analytics-and-chat-history) - [Performance Dashboard](/docs/guides/performance-dashboard) - [Programmatic Usage Stats](/docs/guides/programmatic-usage-stats) - [Session Lifecycle Webhooks](/docs/guides/session-lifecycle-webhooks) - [Audit Logs](/docs/guides/audit-logs) Teams & White-Label - [Team Management](/docs/guides/team-management) - [Enterprise Whitelabel](/docs/guides/enterprise-whitelabel) Alchemist Platform - [Alchemist Tickets](/docs/guides/alchemist-tickets) - [Alchemist Getting Started](/docs/guides/alchemist-getting-started) - [Alchemist Working with Tickets](/docs/guides/alchemist-working-with-tickets) - [Alchemist Local Development](/docs/guides/alchemist-local-development) Alchemist Operations - [Alchemist Environment Variables](/docs/guides/alchemist-environment-variables) - [Alchemist Deploys and Domains](/docs/guides/alchemist-deploys-and-domains) - [Alchemist Self-Healing](/docs/guides/alchemist-self-healing) Alchemist API & Automation - [Alchemist API Keys](/docs/guides/alchemist-api-keys) - [Alchemist MCP Server](/docs/guides/alchemist-mcp-server) - [Alchemist Pipeline Configuration](/docs/guides/alchemist-pipeline-configuration) - [Alchemist Pipeline Permutations](/docs/guides/alchemist-pipeline-permutations) Developer Platform - [Building Custom MCP Servers](/docs/guides/building-custom-mcp-servers) - [Consumer OAuth for Custom MCP Servers](/docs/guides/consumer-oauth-for-custom-mcp-servers) AVCodex MCP Server - [Overview](/docs/guides/overview) - [MCP Reference](/docs/guides/mcp-reference) - [Setup & Installation](/docs/guides/setup-and-installation) - [Authentication](/docs/guides/authentication) - [Tools Reference](/docs/guides/tools-reference) - [Common Workflows](/docs/guides/common-workflows) - [Rate Limits](/docs/guides/rate-limits) Custom Actions Pro Actions API Builder API Agentic Commerce (ACP) Integrations [Docs](/docs)/ Guides / Getting Started # Maximize AVCodex Capabilities Last updated · MAR 2026 · [Read as Markdown](/docs/guides/maximize-avcodex-capabilities.md) # How to Maximize AVCodex Capabilities Get the most out of your AVCodex agents by mastering the features that matter most for AV teams. * * * ## [How to use knowledge to optimize your AVCodex agents# ](#how-to-use-knowledge-to-optimize-your-avcodex-agents) Your AVCodex agent is only as good as the knowledge behind it. Understanding how AI processes different types of knowledge is the foundation for building effective agents (whether that is a programmer help bot, a service desk agent, or a pre-sales RFP assistant). There are three types of knowledge your agent can use: 1. **Base model knowledge**: what the AI already knows from its training data. 2. **Knowledge sources**: documents, files, and URLs you upload (manufacturer manuals, AS-builts, internal SOPs, programming guides). 3. **Prompt instructions**: direct guidance you write in your system prompt. Each one serves a different purpose. Master all three and your agent gets dramatically more useful. ### [The three types of knowledge# ](#the-three-types-of-knowledge) The AI's base knowledge is broad but generic. It knows about the world. It does not know about \*your\* firm, \*your\* clients, \*your\* truck stock, \*your\* programming standards, or \*your\* specific install patterns. That is where knowledge sources come in. ### [Why upload knowledge on top of the AI's existing knowledge# ](#why-upload-knowledge-on-top-of-the-ai-s-existing-knowledge) Uploading your own knowledge sources gives your agent: - **Accuracy**: answers grounded in your actual content, not AI guesses. - **Specificity**: details about your gear, your manufacturer mix, your processes. - **Currency**: up-to-date information the base model does not have. New firmware, new manufacturer guides, new internal standards. - **Authority**: responses that reflect your firm's voice and engineering opinion. The AI's training data has a cutoff date. Your knowledge sources do not. Upload your latest commissioning checklist and your agent stays current. ### [Knowledge source vs prompt: the technical difference# ](#knowledge-source-vs-prompt-the-technical-difference) **Knowledge sources** are retrieved on demand. When a user asks a question, AVCodex searches your uploaded documents and pulls relevant chunks into context. This is RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation). **Prompts** are always present. Your system prompt is included in every conversation, regardless of what the user asks. Feature Knowledge sources Prompts **When used** Retrieved when relevant Always included **Best for** Large amounts of reference content (full manufacturer manuals, every AS-built) Personality, rules, behavior **Size limit** Large (many documents) Small (a few thousand words) **Updates** Upload new files anytime Edit in Build settings **Rule of thumb.** Put facts and reference material in knowledge sources. Put personality, tone, and behavioral rules in your prompt. * * * ## [How to update knowledge sources automatically# ](#how-to-update-knowledge-sources-automatically) Use scheduled refetching to keep documents and crawled URLs current without thinking about it. A useful pattern: refetch your manufacturer help-site URLs weekly and your internal SOP repository on every commit. Watch the in-platform tutorial for the click path. * * * ## [Difference between knowledge source and prompt# ](#difference-between-knowledge-source-and-prompt) See the section above on Knowledge source vs prompt for the technical breakdown. The short version: knowledge sources scale, prompts steer behavior. * * * ## [How to use Markdown to optimize your AVCodex agents# ](#how-to-use-markdown-to-optimize-your-avcodex-agents) Mastering the basics of Markdown for both instructions and knowledge sources can make a real difference in accuracy and ease of editing. ### [What is Markdown# ](#what-is-markdown) Markdown is a simple way to add formatting (bold, italics, lists, headings) to plain text. It is widely used in documentation and AI tools to make instructions clearer and more organized. ### [Why use Markdown in AI instructions# ](#why-use-markdown-in-ai-instructions) - **Clarity**: well-formatted instructions are easier for both humans and AI to follow. - **Emphasis**: you can highlight important steps or warnings (think safety language in commissioning instructions). - **Organization**: headings and lists break information into manageable sections. ### [Basic Markdown formatting# ](#basic-markdown-formatting) A few easy ways to use Markdown: **Headings.** Use `#` to tell your agent which sections belong where in the hierarchy. Heading 2 (`##`) sits under Heading 1 (`#`). Heading 3 (`###`) sits under both. code ``` # Main Section Title ## Section Title ### Subsection #### Sub-subsection ``` **Bold and italic.** - **Bold** for important words. - \*Italic\* for emphasis. **Lists.** - Step 1. - Step 2. - Step 3. **Links.** If you want more examples of Markdown and HTML, the [Markdown Guide](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax) is a solid reference. ### [How to use Markdown in your AI instructions# ](#how-to-use-markdown-in-your-ai-instructions) When you write instructions for your agent, use Markdown to: - Build step-by-step guides with clear sections and hierarchy (commissioning runbooks, troubleshooting trees). - Highlight key actions or warnings in bold. - Organize long instructions with headings. **Example, plain instruction:** Please collect tech feedback and send a confirmation message. **Example, with Markdown:** code ``` ## Collect Feedback - Ask the tech for their feedback on the dispatch. - **Confirm receipt** with the tech. - Save the feedback for future service improvements. ``` Markdown helps your agent communicate more clearly. No code required. * * * ## [How to share images and GIFs in your agent# ](#how-to-share-images-and-gifs-in-your-agent) You can share images and GIFs as part of your agent's flow (visual install steps, photos of correctly terminated cable, animated rack walkthroughs). Use this when a picture is faster than a paragraph. \*Video coming soon.\* * * * ## [How to optimize video on AVCodex# ](#how-to-optimize-video-on-avcodex) \*Content coming soon.\* * * * ## [How to use video for research and feedback (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram)# ](#how-to-use-video-for-research-and-feedback-youtube-tiktok-instagram) \*Content coming soon.\* * * * ## [How to create image variations for social platforms# ](#how-to-create-image-variations-for-social-platforms) You can use the image generation tool to create variations of the same image for different platforms or use cases (a wide rack photo for a case study page, a vertical version for social, a square one for an email header). * * * ## [How to train a personalized programming curriculum agent# ](#how-to-train-a-personalized-programming-curriculum-agent) You can structure an agent to take in information from a junior programmer (their experience level, the systems they want to learn) and produce a personalized lesson plan. Useful for new-hire onboarding at integrators and for cross-training existing programmers from Crestron SIMPL onto Q-SYS Lua. * * * ## [How to create videos with AVCodex# ](#how-to-create-videos-with-avcodex) You can create video using Gemini 2.5 inside AVCodex. Useful for room walkthrough videos, manufacturer comparison clips, or quick visual install guides. \*AVCodex · Your AV expertise. Amplified by AI.\* Was this helpful? [Edit this page →](#) [ Previous Understanding Tokens ](/docs/guides/understanding-tokens)[ Next How Knowledge Sources Work ](/docs/guides/how-knowledge-sources-work) On this page - [How to use knowledge to optimize your AVCodex agents](#how-to-use-knowledge-to-optimize-your-avcodex-agents) - [The three types of knowledge](#the-three-types-of-knowledge) - [Why upload knowledge on top of the AI's existing knowledge](#why-upload-knowledge-on-top-of-the-ai-s-existing-knowledge) - [Knowledge source vs prompt: the technical difference](#knowledge-source-vs-prompt-the-technical-difference) - [How to update knowledge sources automatically](#how-to-update-knowledge-sources-automatically) - [Difference between knowledge source and prompt](#difference-between-knowledge-source-and-prompt) - [How to use Markdown to optimize your AVCodex agents](#how-to-use-markdown-to-optimize-your-avcodex-agents) - [What is Markdown](#what-is-markdown) - [Why use Markdown in AI instructions](#why-use-markdown-in-ai-instructions) - [Basic Markdown formatting](#basic-markdown-formatting) - [How to use Markdown in your AI instructions](#how-to-use-markdown-in-your-ai-instructions) - [How to share images and GIFs in your agent](#how-to-share-images-and-gifs-in-your-agent) - [How to optimize video on AVCodex](#how-to-optimize-video-on-avcodex) - [How to use video for research and feedback (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram)](#how-to-use-video-for-research-and-feedback-youtube-tiktok-instagram) - [How to create image variations for social platforms](#how-to-create-image-variations-for-social-platforms) - [How to train a personalized programming curriculum agent](#how-to-train-a-personalized-programming-curriculum-agent) - [How to create videos with AVCodex](#how-to-create-videos-with-avcodex) [](/) The AI platform built exclusively for professional AV. 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